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Gov. Pat McCrory has formally vetoed Senate Bill 2, the magistrates recusal bill. The legislation, would exempt certain public officials from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples and others. The veto will now head back to the legislature for approval.

Equality NC responded today to statements from Gov. Pat McCrory confirming his intention to veto Senate Bill 2, the magistrates recusal bill. The legislation, which has now passed through both legislative chambers, would exempt certain public officials from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples and others.

Equality NC today condemned the passage of a first-of-its-kind magistrates refusal bill exempting certain public officials from issuing marriage licenses without fear of losing their jobs, if doing so “would violate their core religious beliefs.”

Equality NC, the state’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) advocacy organization, will host nearly 100 pro-equality North Carolinians at the N.C. General Assembly for the organization's 2015 Day of Action.

Nearly two-thirds of North Carolina registered voters don’t think businesses should be able to refuse services to people who are gay or lesbian, regardless of a business owner’s religious beliefs, according to the latest Elon University Poll.

Equality NC joined 22 fellow pro-equality organizations from across the country in signing on to an Amicus Curiae (“friend of the court”) brief filed today by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights in the marriage equality cases currently before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Equality NC reacted to today's U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments surrounding cases from four states–Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee–on the issue of marriage equality. Today's historic testimony sets the stage for the nation's highest court to provide a national resolution on the question of same-sex couples' fundamental freedom to marry in all 50 states.

Equality NC, the state’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) advocacy organization, issued the following statement today after North Carolina's House leadership announced that the state's so-called 'Religious Freedom Restoration Act" (or RFRA) would no longer be considered in the General Assembly's 2015-2016 session.

Equality NC, the state’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) advocacy organization, condemned the late-night passage of House Bill 348, the chamber's so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act (or RFRA).

As the U.S. Senate considered amendments today on the anti-human trafficking bill, Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis voted in favor of allowing homeless and runaway youth who identify as LGBT to be discriminated against.

On Monday, April 20, at 9 a.m., Equality NC will join coalition partners in Raleigh and Charlotte to deliver thousands of petitions to N.C. Governor Pat McCrory’s offices urging him to veto two so-called “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” (or RFRA) bills currently being considered in both chambers of the N.C. General Assembly.

Equality NC today condemned a lawsuit filed this week by two former North Carolina magistrates who are suing court officials in an effort to be reinstated and the right to opt out of their responsibility to marry same-sex couples.

North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper told the Associated Press on Wednesday he rejects a proposal allowing public officials to cite religion for declining to serve same-sex couples and would veto two RFRA bills circulating in the N.C. General Assembly. Cooper is preparing a run for governor in 2016.

A new poll released on April 6, 2015, from NC-based Public Policy Polling (PPP) found that the majority of North Carolinians (56%) think business owners should not be allowed to refuse service to gay customers, compared to just 31 percent who think they should be able to. The North Carolina General Assembly is currently considering two bills that would allow that type of discrimination by the business community against LGBT North Carolinians.

Primary Sponsors Representatives Paul Luebke, (D-Durham), Tricia Cotham (D-Mecklenburg), Rick Glazier (D-Cumberland), and Shelly Willingham (D-Edgecombe, Martin) introduced House Bill 443, "Nondiscrimination in Public Employment" this week, alongside a host of other legislative sponsors in a companion bill to SB612 that would provide much-needed protections for North Carolina's LGBT workers.

House Speaker Tim Moore responded Tuesday to a GOP bill designed to refuse services based on religious beliefs, saying the bill would be scrutinized and reiterating "The last thing that we need to do is to rush into anything." Equality NC responded to the Speaker's comments by calling for North Carolinians to encourage more legislative leaders to oppose this discriminatory bill.

N.C. Governor Pat McCrory Monday said GOP bill designed to refuse services based on religious beliefs "makes no sense." Equality NC responded to the governor's comments by calling for North Carolinians to encourage more leaders to oppose these discriminatory bills.

Senators Erica Smith-Ingram (D-Bertie, Chowan, Edgecombe, Hertford, Martin, Northampton, Tyrrell, Washington) and Terry Van Duyn (D-Buncombe) introduced Senate Bill 612, "Nondiscrimination in State Employment" on Thursday, providing much-needed protections for North Carolina's LGBT workers.